Former Penn State standout Posluszny injured, out for year

Jacksonville Jaguars middle linebacker Paul Posluszny (51) is out for the rest of the season after tearing his right pectoral muscle in Sunday's win over the Cleveland Browns.

Jacksonville Jaguars middle linebacker Paul Posluszny (51) is out for the rest of the season after tearing his right pectoral muscle in Sunday's win over the Cleveland Browns. (MICHAEL KUBEL, THE MORNING CALL)

Throughout last week, the Jaguars were half-marveling at their favorable injury situation. Only running back Toby Gerhart was held out of Sunday's 24-6 win over the Cleveland Browns.

The Jaguars' luck ran out during the course of their first win.

Out for the year: Middle linebacker Paul Posluszny with a torn right pectoral muscle.

Done for at least six weeks: Defensive end Andre Branch with a torn groin muscle.

And iffy for Sunday's game against Miami: Cornerback Alan Ball with a biceps injury.

Those three players combined to play 182 snaps in the Browns game and Posluszny and Ball are the respective vocal leaders of their position groups.

The injuries turned Victory Monday into Bad News Monday around EverBank Field. The thorough win over the Browns - just the Jaguars' seventh in their last 39 games - was replaced by talk of the juggled depth chart.

"Anytime you have injuries to guys that are playing well, it stings you a little bit," coach Gus Bradley said.

It stings because the Jaguars defense has played well the last three weeks, allowing only two touchdowns.

Now, it will be up to J.T. Thomas (for Posluszny) and likely Ryan Davis (for Branch) to start and play a bigger role, respectively. If Ball can't play, second-year cornerbacks Demetrius McCray and Dwayne Gratz would start.

While adopting the Next Man Up philosophy, players were clearly impacted by Posluszny's injury. As the quarterback of the defense, he calls out the pre-snap signals and he produces - his 860 tackles since the start of 2008 lead the NFL and he ranks third this year with 69 tackles.

"The injury to Poz is huge," defensive tackle Sen'Derrick Marks said. "He's the guy who keeps us all jelled together and knows what's going on. A tough loss for us."

Posluszny hopes to have surgery later this week and he will remain around the team to pass along advice.

"It's not easy to accept, especially when you get the feeling that we're just starting to pick things up and the team will get on a winning streak and play some good ball," he said. "You want to be a part of it."

Posluszny stopped being an on-field part of it during Sunday's fourth quarter when he sacked Browns quarterback Brian Hoyer.

"I felt it happen," Posluszny said. "I knew it was something out of the ordinary right away."

Posluszny, holding his right arm close to his body, stayed on the field for one more play.

"I knew something was wrong, but not this wrong," he said.

Said Bradley: "He's incredible, just his toughness and what he means to the team. To downplay that, it wouldn't be fair to him. But I do believe that we will have guys step up and move on."

Thomas, who had been the first-team Otto linebacker the last four games, will get the first shot to step in.

"I'm definitely up for it," Thomas said. "The way this defense works, the middle linebacker has a little more freedom and ability to make plays. This gives me a chance to contribute even more to what we have going on here and be the leader that I feel I am."

In the linebacker meeting Monday, LaRoy Reynolds said Thomas was already leading with his words.

Thomas' move back to the middle will create an opportunity for Reynolds and Dekoda Watson to start at the Otto spot.

Reynolds won the starting position in the preseason but was benched after several minus plays in the first three games. Watson, signed on the second day of free agency in mid-March, sat out all of training camp following two sports hernia surgeries and found the sledding difficult once he was cleared for action.

"Any opportunity is a good opportunity," Watson said. "We have to stand up, seize the moment and be up on our Ps and Qs."

Branch wasn't a starter, but played starter-like snaps (53.8 percent) in the Jaguars' defensive line rotation. He is second on the team with three sacks.

Davis would often play defensive tackle on passing downs to take advantage of his pass-rushing skills. But now he could line up at the Leo spot opposite Chris Clemons and pressure the passer.

"Ryan's ready," Marks said. "It's an opportunity for him and something he's been working for."